Costa: Fluid transformation under Ancelotti

FC Bayern München forward Douglas Costa admits to being surprised by how quickly it has taken new manager Carlo Ancelotti to make his mark at the club.

It was always going to be a difficult task for the Italian to follow in the steps of former manager Pep Guardiola, who won three successive Bundesliga titles before departing for Manchester City.

But playing a 4-3-3 system, Ancelotti has made a flying start to his time in Germany thanks to three wins from three matches – with 13 goals scored and none conceded.

"Me personally, I was very surprised to be able to see his mark already so distinctly. I could see the differences clearly on the pitch," Costa told Kicker of his new boss.

"We play very aggressively and we press a lot. The transition [from Guardiola to Ancelotti] was very fluid.

"That this went so fast and successfully is a tribute to the flexibility and the quality of the team – and the coach."

After making a fantastic impact following his arrival from Shakhtar Donetsk last year, Costa's form dipped in the second half of last season. But the Brazilian is not overly concerned.

"I was weaker in the second part of the season. When the opponents learned that I was quick and looking for one-on-one situations there was suddenly more players standing in front of me and there was less space," he said.

"But it is a part of football that you can't always perform at the top level. I can think only of two players who managed to do that."